Game board and associated apparatus

ABSTRACT

A game including a game board, a propellable playing piece and hand held bats for striking the playing piece wherein the game board is generally octagonal with four inclined playing surfaces sloping downward from the center portion of the game board to the marginal edges thereof. A frame is affixed to the game board to contain the playing piece and apertures are provided in the frame to capture the playing piece. A pair of cavities in the inclined playing surfaces capture and hold the playing piece while a &#39;&#39;&#39;&#39;windmill&#39;&#39;&#39;&#39; rotor and pegs establish obstacles in the path of the playing piece to the associated cavity or aperture.

United States Patent [191 Abraham [451 Dec. 17, 1974 GAME BOARD AND ASSOCIATED APPARATUS [76] Inventor: Paul P. Abraham, PO. Box 597,

Athens, Ohio 45701 [22] Filed: July 18, 1973 [21] Appl. No.: 380,352

[52] US. Cl. 273/125 R, 273/129 [51] Int. Cl A63d 13/00 [58] Field of Search.... 273/67 R, 85 R, 85 D, 85 E,

France 273/85 E Primary ExaminerAnton O. Oechsle Attorney, Agent, or Firm-David H. Wilson [5 7 ABSTRACT A game including a game board, a propellable playing piece and hand held bats for striking the playing piece wherein the game board is generally octagonal with four inclined playing surfaces sloping downward from the center portion of the game board to the marginal edges thereof. A frame is affixed to the game board to contain the playing piece and apertures are provided in the frame to capture the playing piece. A pair of cavities in the inclined playing surfaces capture and hold the playing piece while a windmill rotor and pegs establish obstacles in the path of the playing piece tothe associated cavity or aperture.

9 Claims, 5 Drawing Figures GAME BOARD AND ASSOCIATED APPARATUS SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The invention relates to a game board and associated playing piece and hand bats which may be utilized as an amusement device for persons of various ages. Either two players or two teams of two players each are positioned at opposite ends of the game board near the scoring apertures. The playing piece may only be struck by the hand held bats in an attempt to propel it into the opponents scoring aperture or to protect the players own scoring aperture. The game is concluded when a first player or team scores a predetermined number of points. It is an object of the invention to provide a game assembly which may be economically man ufactured to provide an interesting and inexpensive game of skill.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS The objects and advantages of the invention will become readily apparent to those skilled in the art from reading the following detailed description of an embodiment of the invention when considered in the light of the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the game board of the invention;

FIG. 2 is a top plan view of the structure illustrated in FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a sectional view of the playing piece return cavity taken along line 3 3 of FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is a sectional view of the center portion of the game board and the windmill rotor taken along line 44 of FIG. 2; and

FIG. 5 is a perspective view of the hand bat utilized to propel the playing piece on the game board of FIG. 1.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT Referring to FIGS. 1 and 2, there is shown an amusement device comprising a game board of generally octagonal shape. In the preferred embodiment game board 10 is formed of a rigid material, as for example wood, and is enclosed by an upstanding frame formed about the marginal edges thereof. The frame is comprised of individual pieces 12, 14, 16, 18, 20, 22, 24 and 26, also formed of a rigid material such as wood, which are suitably affixed to the edges of game board 10 by nailing, gluing or the like. The abutting comers of the frame pieces are mitered to form aesthetic, as well as structurally strong corner sections. The upper edges of frame pieces 12, l4, 16, 18, 20, 22, 24 and 26 extend above the upper planar surface of the game board 10 in order to retain the playing piece. Legs 28, 30, 32 and 34 are attached to frame pieces 22, 24, 14 and 16 respectively to raise game board 10 above the surface of a table for example, to provide a more comfortable playing position for the players. Horizontal support braces 36, 38, 40 and 42 are affixed to structurally stabilize legs 28, 30, 32 and 34.

The upper planar surface of game board 10 is divided into four sections of approximately equal area by lines 44 and 46. Line 44 extends from the juncture of frame pieces 12 and 26 to the juncture of frame pieces 18 and 20. Line 46 extends from the juncture of frame pieces 14 and 16 to the juncture of frame pieces 22 and 24 and crosses line 44 at right angles forming sections 48,

50, 52 and 54. The skill required to play the game is increased by inclining sections 48, 50, 52 and 54 toward the center portion of game board 10. For example, section 48 is inclined from the juncture of frame pieces 12 and 14 to the intersection of lines 44 and 46. Sections 50, 52 and 54 are inclined to a similar degree so that as the playing piece travels from one section to another its direction of travel will be influenced by gravity and the slope of the section it is traversing. Adjacent line 44 and centrally disposed upon line 46 are cavities 56 and 58 formed to effectively capture and retain the playing piece for purposes hereinafter described. Windmill rotor 60 is pivotally attached to game board 10 at the intersection of lines 44 and 46. Windmill 60 will rotate upon being struck by the playing piece thereby altering the direction of the playing piece and increasing the probability that the playing piece will not be captured by cavities 56 and 58.

Each frame piece 14, 16, 22 and 24 contains a rectangular shaped aperture which will effectively capturethe playing piece. Aperture 62 in frame piece 14 is adjacent section 48 and is disposed opposite a similar aperture 64 in frame piece 24. Aperture 66 in frame piece 16 is adjacent section 50 and is disposed opposite a similar aperture 68 in frame piece 22. Upwardly extending pegs 70, 72, 74 and 76 are interposed between opposite apertures as obstacles to the players attempting to direct the playing piece into an aperture. These pegs may be formed of short lengths of wooden dowels positioned in suitably located holes previously drilled in game board 10. Each aperture is connected to a return aperture on the outer face of the corresponding frame piece. Therefore, return aperture 78 in frame piece 24 is connected to aperture 64 and return aperture 80 in frame piece 22 is connected to aperture 68. Similar return apertures, not shown, are connected to apertures 62 and 66 in frame pieces 14 and 16. These return apertures are rectangularly shaped and are of sufficient size to allow access to a players hand in order to retrieve the playing piece. From the above description, it will be appreciated that game board 10 and frame pieces l2, l4, l6, 18, 20, 22, 24 and 26 may be formed of a material other than wood such as metal or plastic with satisfactory results.

FIG. 3 is a sectional view of the playing piece return cavity taken along line 3-3 of FIG. 2. Frame piece 24 contains return cavity 82 which is connected to aperture 64 and return aperture 78. Playing piece 84 is directed toward aperture 64 on section 54. After entering aperture 64 playing piece falls to the bottom of cavity 84 from which it may be retrieved through return aperture 78. FIG. 4 is a sectional view of windmill 60 taken along line 44 of FIG. 2. Cavity 56 formed in sections 48 and 50 captures and retains the playing piece until the player removes it. Windmill 60 has a shaft 86 which is free to pivot in bearing 88, recessed into the playing surface at the intersection of lines 44 and 46, when the playing piece strikes one of the windmill blades. These blades extend over the opening of cavities 56 and 58 to increase the probability that the playing piece will not be captured.

The game is played utilizing playing piece 84 of FIG. 3 and the hand bat 90 of FIG. 5. Playing piece 84 in the preferred embodiment is a rubber ball which will rebound upon striking the surfaces of frame pieces 14, l6, 18, 20, 22, 24 and 26 adjacent sections 48, 50, 52 and 54, windmill 60 or pegs 70, 72, 74 and 76. Hand bat 90 is utilized to set playing piece 90 in motion by grasping handle 92 and hitting playing piece 84 with one of the concave surfaces, such as 94, of striking body 96. Body 96 may also be formed'with more complex striking surfaces in order to increase the difficulty of directing the playing piece. The object of the game is for the player to propel playing piece 84 into the opponents cavity or aperture. For example, players positioned at frame pieces 22 and 24 will attempt to propel playing piece 84 into cavity 56 or apertures 62 and 66. When this has been accomplished the player is said to have scored a goal. The player who is to start the game is chosen by mutual agreement such as the player whose name comes first alphabetically. This player sets playing piece 84 in motion toward the opponents cavity and apertures in an attempt to score a goal while the opposing player or team of players may protect their cavity or goals by striking the playing piece with their hand held bats.

If two players are involved, the player at frame pieces 22 and 24 may only hit playing piece 84 when it is in sections 52 and 54 while the player at frame pieces 14 and 16 may only hit playing piece 84 when it is in sections 48 and 50. If four players are involved, they form two teams with team A at frame pieces 22 and 24 and team B at frame pieces 14 and 16. Team play may be limited by restricting the player to the section directly in front of his position such as the player on team A at frame piece 24 being able only to hit playing piece 84 when it is in section 54. When the player or team has scored a goal the opposing team resumes play by striking the playing piece from their area. Each goal is scored as one point and is indicated by placing a small peg in holes 98 provided in frame piece 26 for player or team A and holes 100 provided in frame piece 18 for player or team B. Eleven holes are provided for indicating the total number of goals scored and may be numbered from one through 11 for this purpose. Of course, the game may be ended after any lesser number of goals such as seven. The first player or team to attain the required number of goals wins the game. A goal scored in cavities 56 and 58 may be counted as two points due to increased difficulty involved in scoring such a goal.

Penalties may be utilized to increase the score of the opponent of the player being penalized. For example, a penalty of one point for hitting the playing piece in such a manner that it leaves game board other than through apertures 62, 64, 66 and 68, a penalty of one point if a player crosses line 44 and a penalty of one point if a player hits playing piece 84 with his hand. If a player strikes playing piece 84 into his own cavity or aperture the opposing player or team is awarded the goal.

In accordance with the provisions of the patent statutes l have explained the principles and mode of operation of my invention and have illustrated and described what I now consider to represent its best embodiment.

However, I desire to have it understood that the invention may be practiced otherwise than as specifically illustrated and described without departing from its spirit or scope.

What I claim is:

1. An amusement device comprising: a game board having a multiplanar upper surface;

a playing piece capable of being propelled on the upper surface of said game board;

a striking means capable of propelling said playing piece wherein said striking means includes a striking body slidable on said multiplanar upper surface and having an upstanding generally centrally disposed handle, and at least one concave surface on its periphery adapted for striking said playing piece;

at least a pair of spaced apart playing receiving means;

at least a pair of upwardly extending projections positioned upon the upper surface of said game board between said receiving means;

means extending upwardly from said game board for containing said playing piece and defining a playing surface and having a plurality of holes formed therein for indicating the total number of points scored; and rotary means for deflecting said playing piece rotatably attached at the center portion of the playing surface of said game board.

2. The invention defined in claim 1 wherein said containing means comprises an upstanding projection around the marginal edge of said game board.

3. The invention defined in claim 2 wherein the upper multiplanar surface of said game board comprises four inclined planar surfaces sloping downward from the center portion of the upper multiplanar surface of said game board to the marginal edges thereof.

4. The invention defined in claim 2 wherein said playing piece receiving means includes aperture means in said upstanding projection.

5. The invention defined in claim 4 wherein said playing piece receiving means includes aperture means, cavity means and return aperture means in said upstanding projection, said aperture means connected to the upper end of said cavity means and said return means connected to the lower end of said cavity means whereby said playing piece may be retrieved after entering said aperture means.

6. The invention defined in claim 5 wherein said playing piece receiving means includes cavity means in the upper multiplanar surface of said game board.

7. The invention defined in claim 1 wherein said playing piece is a rubber ball.

8. The invention defined in claim 1 wherein said projections are in the form of individual pegs.

9. The invention defined in claim 1 wherein said game board has a generally octagonal shape. 

1. An amusement device comprising: a game board having a multiplanar upper surface; a playing piece capable of being propelled on the upper surface of said game board; a striking means capable of propelling said playing piece wherein said striking means includes a striking body slidable on said multiplanar upper surface and having an upstanding generally centrally disposed handle, and at least one concave surface on its periphery adapted for striking said playing piece; at least a pair of spaced apart playing receiving means; at least a pair of upwardly extending projections positioned upon the uppeR surface of said game board between said receiving means; means extending upwardly from said game board for containing said playing piece and defining a playing surface and having a plurality of holes formed therein for indicating the total number of points scored; and rotary means for deflecting said playing piece rotatably attached at the center portion of the playing surface of said game board.
 2. The invention defined in claim 1 wherein said containing means comprises an upstanding projection around the marginal edge of said game board.
 3. The invention defined in claim 2 wherein the upper multiplanar surface of said game board comprises four inclined planar surfaces sloping downward from the center portion of the upper multiplanar surface of said game board to the marginal edges thereof.
 4. The invention defined in claim 2 wherein said playing piece receiving means includes aperture means in said upstanding projection.
 5. The invention defined in claim 4 wherein said playing piece receiving means includes aperture means, cavity means and return aperture means in said upstanding projection, said aperture means connected to the upper end of said cavity means and said return means connected to the lower end of said cavity means whereby said playing piece may be retrieved after entering said aperture means.
 6. The invention defined in claim 5 wherein said playing piece receiving means includes cavity means in the upper multiplanar surface of said game board.
 7. The invention defined in claim 1 wherein said playing piece is a rubber ball.
 8. The invention defined in claim 1 wherein said projections are in the form of individual pegs.
 9. The invention defined in claim 1 wherein said game board has a generally octagonal shape. 